Reynolds American delving deeper into nicotine gum business

February 19, 2015 byMichael Felberbaum

Cigarette maker Reynolds American Inc. is partnering with a pharmaceutical consultancy to develop products that help people stop smoking.

The nation's second-biggest tobacco company's agreement with Maryland-based Pinney Associates comes as tax increases, health concerns, smoking bans and social stigma cut into demand for cigarettes and more smokers try to quit.

Reynolds CEO Susan Cameron also has been vocal about the company's interest in transforming the tobacco industry with new products that can reduce the health impact of tobacco use. Reynolds will also be working with Pinney Associates on policies that aim to reduce the harmful effects of tobacco.

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable illness and death in the U.S. and is responsible for the majority of the nation's lung cancer deaths. It's also a factor in heart attacks and a variety of illnesses. More than 42 million U.S. adults smoke cigarettes and about half try to quit every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

As part of the agreement, Reynolds American's Niconovum USA unit will partner with a Pinney affiliate to develop a new kind of nicotine gum and other nicotine-replacement products like electronic cigarettes. The Winston-Salem, North Carolina, company bought Niconovum, which makes nicotine gum, pouches and spray products, in 2009.

The maker of Camel and Pall Mall cigarettes is currently expanding its Zonnic brand nicotine gum nationwide, challenging the pharmaceutical industry's hold and pricing power of the market for products to help people stop smoking.

Pinney Associates has done extensive work for GlaxoSmithKline, the leading seller of nicotine gums, patches and other products that help people stop smoking. Its former employees include Mitch Zeller, who currently heads the Food and Drug Administration's tobacco regulatory efforts.

"While what we've been doing in tobacco control is working, it's just not working fast enough," John Pinney, CEO of Pinney Associates, said in an interview with The Associated Press. "We've got a lot of people who I believe probably need nicotine for the rest of their lives and the goal here would be—if that's the case— let's get them a product that's not going to kill them."

Reynolds is deepening it is position in the market as the Food and Drug Administration has said that it's safe to use nicotine replacement products for longer than previously thought. In recent years, a number of stakeholders in public health have noted that smokers that are trying to quit would relapse if they stopped using the nicotine-replacement products after a suggested time period, and they'd abandon their attempt to quit if they had a cigarette while using them, the agency said.

Related Stories

Cigarette maker Reynolds American Inc. is taking its Zonnic brand nicotine gum nationwide, challenging the pharmaceutical industry's hold and pricing power of the market for products to help people stop smoking.

E-cigarettes appear to be less addictive than cigarettes for former smokers and this could help improve understanding of how various nicotine delivery devices lead to dependence, according to researchers.

Sales of e-cigarettes, which emerged on the U.S. market less than 10 years ago, are booming, reaching an estimated $2.2 billion in 2014. But very little is known about their potential health risks or benefits. Scientists, ...

A lot can happen at 160 degrees Fahrenheit: Eggs fry, salmonella bacteria dies, and human skin will suffer third-degree burns. If a car is parked in the sun on a hot summer day, its dashboard can hit 160 degrees in about ...

Free smoking cessation aids, such as nicotine patches and chewing gum, are a staple of many corporate wellness programs aimed at encouraging employees to kick the habit. But, new research shows that merely offering such aids ...

The impact of screen time on cardiovascular disease, cancer incidence and mortality may be greatest in people who have lower levels of grip-strength, fitness and physical activity, according to a study published in the open ...

A new study has found that a common e-cigarette flavoring that has chemical characteristics similar to toxic chemicals found in cigarette smoke disrupts an important mechanism of the lungs' antibacterial defense system. The ...